Hope im proved wrong but i really cant see novak not making the final.

No, neither can I, but I feel that about Andy too. Andy may not have been at his real best yet, but neither has he really needed to be. When he needs to improve Andy will be better, not that he has been bad so far.

Hope im proved wrong but i really cant see novak not making the final.

Me neither. He's got great hardcourt records against everyone he's seeded to face. It'd take a below-par performance from him and one of the guys playing at their best for him to lose but he's just so consistent in the slams. Berdych I think is the one who could push him the most, even though the head-to-head is very lopsided in Nole's favour - he has beaten him in a slam before and is always motivated to knock a top 4 opponent out of a slam. But I don't really see him actually beating Nole - he could perhaps take a set though.

Just watched the rerun of Andy's match and my conclusion is 'job well done'. He did not play badly, as his unforced error count suggests. He admitted his timing was below par, but, being the great match player he is, found enough on the big points. Against a talented opponent, 3 sets is a real bonus.

I also saw most of the Somon/Monfils match which was like a remake of 'night of the living dead' at times. Credit to Simon for a really gutsy performance, but you feel that it must come at a cost. He surely must struggle against Andy if anything less than 100 %.

Although the draw has opened up for Andy with Delpo and Cilic losing, I still worry about the form of Federer. Although pushed at times by Tomic, he came through with some style and, of course, he's such a gentleman.

I went out to do my shopping when it looked like Simon would win in 3 only to come back and find them slugging it out in a 5th set which went on and on and on. Just what I was hoping for. Simon looked completely wasted by the end and even with a day to recover difficult to see how he can play his best tennis especially with what appear to be 2 injuries. There were times when it was like Casualty on court with both of them having trainer on. As for Andy, he himself is more aware than anyone that he didn't play his best but as he said in his presser it's not always a good thing to play your best in the early rounds. And as Greg R observed, to win in straight sets when not feeling the ball, is pretty good.

was an interesting match....certainly not clear cut win....but he won...and thats All that matters at this stage. I feel its good to get an ' underperformance' out the way in the first week of a slam. Its a good wakeup call for Andy for the 2nd week. I think its fair to call it an underperformance...as putting aside the other guy playing well...Andy was missing alot of shots he has been making when on form...seemed very eratic.

Dunno why but I can see both Andy and Nole in the finals, but got more confidence on Nole....

My thoughts exactly although in one sense would rather not have Andy face nole in final but in another you know you are going to get one cracker of a match & would love love love to see Andy overcoming him again in a slam final.

i'm kinda split on whether night matches are more beneficial than day.... the extra recuperation and downtime can be used to prepare better for the next opponent....then again the high temps and humidity are draining from day matches